In a significant move for sports streaming, Amazon has recently acquired a minority stake in Bally Sports, a network known for broadcasting various regional sports, including San Antonio Spurs games. This acquisition comes as Bally Sports, operated by Diamond Sports Group, navigates its way through bankruptcy proceedings.

The Background

Roughly ten months ago, Diamond Sports Group filed for voluntary bankruptcy, raising concerns about the future of numerous sporting broadcasts, particularly Spurs games. Despite these challenges, Bally Sports has continued to air games throughout the 2023-24 season. However, the network’s streaming service, Bally Sports+, has faced widespread criticism from fans. Many have reported issues with its reliability, and the need for additional subscriptions, such as YouTube TV, has frustrated viewers, especially those in blackout zones like San Antonio and Austin.

A New Chapter for Streaming

The recent restructuring agreement between Amazon and Diamond Sports Group marks a turning point. As part of this agreement, Amazon has committed to a minority investment in the company and plans to integrate its services with Amazon Prime Video. This means that, eventually, fans will be able to stream their favorite teams, including the Spurs, through their Prime subscriptions.

Key Features of the Agreement

• Amazon will partner with Diamond Sports to provide direct-to-consumer (DTC) access to local broadcast channels.
• Prime Video will serve as the primary platform for streaming local content, including live games from the MLB, NBA, and NHL.
• Details regarding the launch of this new service will be announced in the future.

Looking Ahead

While the precise timeline for this streaming service remains unclear, the potential for improved access to Spurs games offers hope to frustrated fans. Unlike other streaming services that have struggled, Amazon Prime has an established infrastructure that could handle sports broadcasts more effectively. This development is also a relief for NBA officials, as it mitigates the need for drastic changes to current broadcasting agreements.

If you’re considering a subscription to Bally Sports+, you might want to pause for now and look into Amazon Prime instead, especially as updates unfold regarding this exciting collaboration.